One such conventional writing desk, known as a "lap" desk, is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,051 in which the desk includes a top horizontal panel defining the desired horizontal support surface and the desk is provided with a pair of depending legs or support panels for embracingly receiving the upper leg portions of a person therebetween, when the person or user is seated in a chair or upright, upon a bed. The legs or support panels may be hingedly supported from the top panel for ready swinging movement into collapsed positions closely underlying the undersurface of the top panel of the desk.
In an earlier U.S. Pat. No. 842,018 to Russell, a writing desk is formed of a pair of right angle boards and a third diagonal or oblique book support panel fixed to a riser at its upper end extends obliquely upward and away from a base with a right angle vertical support board interposed between the base and the oblique reading desk panel. The vertical panel or board constitutes a brace and rigidly holds the other members connected together. Such writing desk as exemplified by Russell permits the oblique panel to face the user when used as a slanted reading desk or alternatively, the unit is turned on its base so that the horizontal member joining the base and the oblique book support panel functions as a horizontal writing surface.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,058,793 to Schultz and 3,361,088 to Hodgkin show adjustable multi-purpose tables. In one case a U-shaped member may be inverted to function as a base or may stand upended for supporting the table top thereon. In the other, the table includes two right angle panels which function alternatively as table tops, when the table is upended and when in normal upright position.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved multi-way portable writing desk which may be positioned facing the person or user or at right angles to the person and wherein, a base panel thereof may be positioned beneath a leg or the person or a user may straddle said base panel, such that the user or person seated or lying in bed acts to maintain the writing desk in proper position and prevents its toppling during use.
A further object of the invention is to provide a writing desk of this type which is foldable, which may be readily erected, handled or stored in a compact condition and wherein, a base panel and a lap panel fold naturally into side by side fashion relative to a riser panel to which they are hinged at opposite ends.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a multi-way portable writing desk which may be of rigid sheet metal or plastic form and which may be economically manufactured and which is practically indestructible.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, are resided in the details of construction and operation as more fully described herein, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the multiple embodiments.